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Manufacturers have been pushing out one sport utility vehicle after another on the North American market and the 2017 Buick Envision is joining the race. Buick saw a hole in its lineup between the small Encore and large Enclave, so they’ve come out with a small compact crossover to fill the void.
Benjamin Hunting from Auto123 had a chance to test drive the Envision through the foothills of the Alberta Rockies. At a glance, the Envision's exterior is not ground breaking with its clean lines, but the body can stand up to rivals like the Acura RDX and the Audi Q5 in size.
His Envision was sporting a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that can generate 252 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive, that’s more than enough power to confidently carry the 1,800 kilogram vehicle past the foothills’ elevation changes. For a vehicle of that size, the Envision's fuel economy is an impressive 10.6L/100km combined.
The test vehicle was even taken off road through pastures, rural trails, and even a submerged concrete bridge across a stream. Buick didn’t design the Envision for off-roading, but the vehicle’s AWD torque management capabilities was able to tackle it without much fanfare.
One suggestion he does make for potential buyers is to go big when ordering an Envision. The other engine option, a 197 hp 2.5L 4-cylinder unit, may not have enough power for such a large body. Also, the Premium I and Premium II trims come with a plethora of features that the sub-$40k Convenience trim won’t have. To fully appreciate the Envision, it’s be to be prepared to hand over $46,155-$49,565 at your local dealership.
